Cultural diplomacy in the context of World War II

The case of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Sao Paulo

Abstract

We investigate the role played by the OCIAA, headed by Nelson Rockefeller, from 1941 to 1945, in the domains of science, technology, and education in Brazil, focusing on its participation in the creation of the Metallurgy course at the Escola Politécnica of the University of São Paulo (USP) through the stays of Bates, Mehl, and Phillips at this university. This story reinforces Antonio Tota’s point according to which Americanization of Brazil began during World War II. However, this did not happen in a passive manner. Ary Torres and Cintra do Prado, professors at USP, for different reasons, actively looked for an alignment of Brazil to the USA. Finally, this study illustrates how helpful may be a transnational approach to history. Studying people and ideas across frontiers has brought to the light processes and characters so far underestimated in the available historiography.